Whether you're waiting for the next match or tournament, want to flex your managerial skills, or simply duke it out with pals online, video games have always been a fantastic outlet for sports fans to get together and celebrate their teams.
You get to play as and pay homage to your favourites, and every year staples like EA Sport, PGA Tour or WWE push the boundaries in immersion, representation, and more.
But one sport has had a noticeable absence on the game shelves this past while – Gaelic football. Its last appearance was nearly 18 years ago, on the humble PlayStation 2. Well, that's about to change.
Built for the next-generation game console, Gaelic Football 2025 is an upcoming game that brings the pride and passion of Gaelic to our screens like never before.
Ahead of showcasing the game at this year's GamerFest, Peadar McMahon of Buck Eegit Games talked to RTÉ Culture about how the game was made and what fans can expect on the pitch this summer.
The first Gaelic football game in 18 years
For Peadar, the idea for a Gaelic football game started many years ago, after previous attempts in the 2000s by the Australian studio Transmission Games. Though the games sold incredibly well in Ireland, they weren't exactly well-received by fans.
"Back in 2005, during my university years, a Gaelic Football game was released. With time on my hands and a group of friends equally obsessed, we played it to death, but it wasn't great," he says.
"Two years later, a sequel arrived, along with a hurling version. I dived in again, hopeful for improvements, and while there were some, it still had odd design choices, and nobody bought it because the first left a bad taste in people's mouths."
For Peadar, the games felt in many ways like just reskins of the studio's popular Australian Football League releases, and he points out they missed 'the finer details of Gaelic football'. But that experience left him determined to right those wrongs.
"From that point on, I knew I wanted to one day make a game that felt like Gaelic football", he says.
but in some cases we had to prioritise playability."
In 2007, he spent a placement year working with Microsoft, where he had the opportunity to speak with developers and access some of their internal game development platforms.
"That experience gave me valuable insights and, more importantly, the belief that making a Gaelic football game might actually be possible. When I returned for my final year of my Computer Science degree, choosing a final project was easy, I was going to build a prototype of a Gaelic football game."
After graduating, however, Peadar admits Belfast didn't exactly have a thriving games industry. As opportunities were scarce, he entered into the world of finance, though he admits the drive to make the game "never went away" and tried multiple avenues over the years to make it happen.
"In 2018, I launched a Kickstarter, not just for funding, but to raise awareness. It didn't succeed, but it sparked conversations," he says.
"One of those eventually led to a potential partnership. Just as things began to progress, Covid hit. We picked the conversation back up in late 2021 and by May 2022, we officially started the company. After a recruitment call early in the year, we had a team of seven by the summer, and the real work on the game began."
Come say hi to us at GamerFest Dublin this May! 🎮💥
— Buck Eejit Games (@BuckEejitGames) April 28, 2025
Gaelic Football 25 launches in summer 2025 on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC. 🏐
Whether you're a lifelong fan or a newcomer, now’s your chance to experience the game before anyone else!#GaelicFootball #VideoGame pic.twitter.com/HS6L3YmugQ
Capturing the movement of Gaelic football
Gaelic football is a highly athletic sport. Translating that into a video game undoubtedly brings up many challenges for developers.
"We probably underestimated just how much work would go into making a game this ambitious and true to the sport," Peadar explains. "We wanted to include every detail of Gaelic football, but in some cases we had to prioritise playability."
"Take the 'four-step rule,' for example, in-game, it felt too restrictive. So we allow about six steps before requiring a bounce or solo, depending on the situation. It plays better, and ultimately, fun wins, even if it is called out in almost every bit of media we put out!"
"Even simple actions like a kick pass come in many variations, direct, high, along the ground, bouncing in front, or placing it ahead to run onto. We could've cut back, but we wanted players to feel like they had all the options a real footballer would."
Working out the interactions is one challenge. But then getting those to look and feel the part is another. Luckily for Buck Eegit Games, they already had a 'star performer' on the team who was ready to go tog out for the cause.
"Capturing the animations for all these interactions was another challenge. During the original Kickstarter campaign, I worked with Queen's University Belfast's Innovation Lab to try motion capture, but it was expensive, restrictive, and not very effective. This time, we invested in a full-body motion capture suit. It gave us the freedom to record anytime, anywhere."
"As for who'd wear the suit, that became a logistical issue", he says. "We'd hoped to bring in county players, but with over 50 hours of capture time, it just wasn't feasible. Luckily, one of our team members still plays Gaelic football, so he became our star performer. We recorded far more than we've used so far, so there's plenty more to come."
From grassroots to greatness – what to expect from Gaelic Football 2025
For anyone who has played a sports video game, you'll know there can be endless game modes on offer to dive into. With Gaelic Football 2025, what can we expect to play?
"For our first game, we wanted to make an impression, so the core focus has been on gameplay," Peadar explains. "Right out of the gate, players can jump into a Quick Match, picking from all the counties or custom-created teams to play solo or against a friend.
"The Tournament mode lets users play through real-life competitions or set up custom ones with any number of players involved. Then there's Career Mode, where you guide a county through multiple seasons, training players, tracking stats, dealing with retirements and new call-ups, and competing for end-of-year awards."
Peadar also highlights the Creator Suite as a massive part of the game, which allows gamers to design and edit players, including facial features, hair, boots, gloves and more. You can design custom teams with home stadiums, colours, crests, and more.
This ability to create your own local teams feels incredibly purposeful to the game, as Peadar explains. "Community is at the heart of Gaelic games, and it's just as central to our vision," he says.
"From kids idolising club seniors to older fans reminiscing about legends, the sport thrives on shared experience. That's why the creation suite is so important, it lets players recreate the people and teams that matter to them."
Peadar shares that the team is working on a sharing platform, so gamers can upload and download teams, jerseys and players between themselves. And although online multiplayer won't be available at launch, rest assured that it is firmly on their roadmap.
"In the meantime, we've made sure two-player local matches are a blast. The goal is to recreate that feeling of sitting down with friends and having a laugh because that's the spirit of the sport," he adds.
When and where can you play Gaelic Football 2025?
Speaking of roadmaps, excited fans will no doubt be curious to know if there is a release date in mind and where they can try their hand at the game.
"We're aiming to finish development this summer and are working toward a release by the end of it," Peadar says. "The game will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Each platform has its own submission timeline, so exact dates may vary slightly, but our sights are set on a summer launch."
If you can't wait that long, you'll be glad to know there is a golden opportunity to play the game earlier than that – and get some practice in before the game's official release.
Buck Eegit Games is bringing Gaelic Football 2025 to GamerFest, Ireland's leading gaming festival. The event takes place on the 24th and 25th of May, at the RDS. There, fans can try out the game first-hand, talk to the developers, and more.
Speaking on the occasion, Peadar says it's a brilliant opportunity to get the game into the hands of their audience.
"While we're already running a private playtest focused on bug-hunting and technical feedback, GamerFest is our chance to get real reactions from players, raw, honest, and full of passion.
"We'll be on stage to talk about the game, share insights into development, and engage with fans directly. It's a chance to connect, learn, and most importantly, have fun."
Does he have any final advice for aspiring footballers ready to tackle the challenge of the game?
"For those lucky enough to get some hands-on time, make the most of it! The best advice I can give, the same I give the U14s I coach - don't run into tackles, and take your points!"
Fans can keep up-to-date with the latest on Gaelic Football 2025 by following Buck Eegit Games on TikTok or visiting their main website.
GamerFest takes place in the RDS on May 24th & 25th. For more information on tickets, visit their website here.
